Hot-top for ingot molds



June 1954 K. L. MELLINGER ETAL 3,136,012

HOT-TOP FOR meow MOLDS Filed April 24, 1961 United States Patent Office 3,136,012 Patented June 9, 1964 3,136,012 HOT-TOP FOR INGOT MOLDS Kenneth L. Melh'nger, 277 East Ave, Greenville, Pa.,

and John C. Spenzer, 1330 McConnell Road, Sharpsville Pa. Filed Apr. 24, 1961, Ser. No. 105,178

2 Claims. (Cl. 22-147) This invention relates to hot tops for ingot molds, whereby piping of ingots cast in the molds is reduced.

It is the general object of the invention to provide an improved, relatively inexpensive, light weight, but highly efficient hot top for an ingot mold.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hot top of the character described wherein a hollow sand core, adapted to be positioned on the top of an ingot mold, is reinforced by a surrounding reinforcing wall formed of a plurality of convolutions of strong paper adhesively secured together.

Another object of the invention is the provision of hot tops of sand and paper and made with a conical shape or upward taper, whereby the hot tops or parts thereof, can

be nested for shipping to notably reduce transportationv costs.

Another object of the invention is to provide hot tops of the type described wherein flexible tie means are connected to the reinforcing paper wall which are adapted to be secured to the lifting lugs for the ingot mold to thereby hold the hot top properly in position on the top of the ingot mold.

The foregoing objects of the invention and other objects, which will become apparent as the description proceeds, are achieved by the combination in a hot top for an ingot mold of a hollow sand core of a shape to fit on the top of an ingot mold, said core being of hollow substantially rectangular shape in plan view and having a wall thickness of about several inches, a reinforcing wall around the sand core comprising a plurality of convolu tions of strong kraft paper, so as to build up a thickness of between about inch and about /2 inch, adhesive means securing the convolutions of paper together, adhesive means securing the reinforcing wall to the sand core, and a plurality of tie means secured to the reinforcing wall for fastening to the lifting lugs of the ingot mold for holding the hot top on the top of the ingot mold.

For a better understanding of the invention reference should be had to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view illustrating one embodiment of the hot top of the invention positioned on the top of an ingot mold;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the structure of FIG- URE l but with part of the ingot mold being broken away;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view, taken substantially on line 33 of FIGURE 1, and on an enlarged scale;

FIGURE 4 is a View similar to FIGURE 3, but on a somewhat reduced scale, and illustrating a modification of the invention;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating one manner of connecting the tie means of the hot top to the reinforcing wall; and

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5, but showing a modified type of tie means and wall in the hot top.

In the drawings, a numeral 10 indicates generally an ingot mold having lifting lugs 12. Positioned on top of the ingot mold 10, and indicated as a whole by the numeral 14, is the hot top of the invention. As best seen in FIGURE 1, the hot top is normally made in plan of hollow substantially rectangular shape and of dimensions to fit over the opening in the top of the ingot mold. The hot top 14 comprises a sand core 16 made with the same hollow substantially rectangular shape, and with the sand core having a wall thickness of about several inches. The sand core 16 is made from any of the known sand plus binder combinations utilized in the steel and iron foundry art, and with the sand core being adapted to engage with the molten steel during the operation of the hot top with the ingot mold.

Surrounding the hollow sand core 16 is a reinforcing wall 18, made of a plurality of convolutions of strong paper, such as kraft paper, the convolutions being adhesively secured together and formed to a thickness of usually between about of an inch, and about /2 of an inch to thereby provide a relatively strong reinforcing wall 18. The manner of making the reinforcing Wall 18 forms no part of the present invention. Suffice it to say here that the reinforcing wall may be wound continuously from a progressively adhesively coated paper strip on to a suitably shaped collapsible form.

Once the reinforcing wall 18 is constructed it may be adhesively secured to the sand core 16, or it may have a frictional, or press fit thereon.

In order to hold the hot top properly in position on top of the ingot mold 10, suitable flexible tie means are provided. More specifically, and having reference to FIG- URE 5, flexible tie wires 20 can be connected by eyes or straps 22 to rivets 24 extending through the reinforcing wall 18, the tie wires 20 being positioned upon opposite ends of the hot top 14 and adapted to be secured down and around the lifting lugs 12 of the ingot mold 10, all in the manner shown in FIGURE 2.

As a modification of the fastening means shown in FIGURE 5, the fastening means of FIGURE 6 constitute flexible wires 26 looped about a board 28 of tough cardboard, or the like adhesively secured between convolu tions of the reinforcing wall 18. In this form of the invention the ends of the wire 26 are again fastened down and around the lifting lugs 12 of the ingot mold 10 to hold the hot top in position on top of the ingot mold.

Referring now to FIGURE 3 of the patent drawings, these illustrate that when the hot top 14 is positioned on top of the ingot mold 10 a layer of plastic ceramic cement 30 is normally positioned between the top of the ingot mold and the bottom of the hot top 14, hence when the hot top is pressed down on the cement and is then fastened to the ingot mold by means of the tie wires, the joint between the hot top and the ingot mold is sealed in excellent fashion so that no molten steel can escape through this joint during the casting of the ingot.

FIGURE 4 of the invention illustrates a modification wherein the hot top, indicated as a whole by the numeral 141: is made with an upwardly tapering shape so that the reinforcing Wall 18a is of this shape as is the sand core 16a. In this form of the invention it is possible to nest a plurality of the hot tops together so that they require less space during transportation, and such nesting action can be achieved whether the hot tops as a whole are nested, or whether only parts of the hot tops, such as the reinforcing walls 18a are nested during the shipping operation. In this form of the invention the tapers of the parts facilitate the assembly of the sand core 16a in the reinforcing wall 18a. In the use of the embodiment of FIGURE 4, a suitable furnace cement 30a is used to close the joint between the bottom of the hot top and the top of the ingot mold when the hot top is placed on the ingot mold 10a.

The invention has been specifically described as having the convolutions of paper of the reinforcing wall 18 ad hesively secured together. At least certain of the advantages of the invention can be obtained by having the convolutions secured together by metal clips orthe like.

The normal function and operation of any hot top is well understood by those skilled in the art and the operation of the hot top of the invention will therefore not be explained in detail. Sufiice it to say that the paper reinforcing wall 13 strongly supports the sand core 16 during the use of the hot top, and with the sand core 16 keeping the heat of the molten steel away from the paper reinforcing wall 18 so that this does not objectionably burn or charr during the use of the hot top in one or more ingot casting operations.

While several complete embodiments of the invention have been disclosed herein, it will be appreciated that modification of these particular embodiments of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination of an ingot mold having lifting lugs thereon and a hot top for the ingot mold, the hot top including a hollow sand core of a shape to fit on the top of an ingot mold, said sand core being of hollow shape in plan view and having a wall thickness ofabout several inches, a reinforcing wall around the sand core comprising strong kraft paper of a thickness of between about V inch and about /2 inch, the reinforcing wall being adhesively secured to the sand core, a plurality of tie means secured to the reinforcing wall and engaging the lifting lugs of the ingot mold for holding the hot top on the top of the ingot mold, said tie means being secured between convolutions of the reinforcing wall and not extending into engagement with the sand core, and plastic cement means sealing the engagement of the hot top with the ingot mold.

2. The combination of an ingot mold having lifting lugs thereon and a hot top for the ingot mold, the hot top including a hollow sand core of a shape to fit on the top of an ingot mold, said sand core being of hollow shape in plan view and having a wall thickness of about several inches, a reinforcing wall around the sand core comprising strong kraft paper, the reinforcing wall being secured to the sand core, a plurality of tie means secured to the reinforcing wall and engaging the lifting lugs of the ingot mold for holding the hot top on the top of the ingot mold, and plastic cement means sealing the engagement of the hot top with the ingot mold.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,398,874 McNally et a1 Nov. 29, 1921 1,650,700 Egler Nov. 29, 1927 1,893,207 Messler et al. Jan. 3, 1933 2,156,980 Gronninger May 2, 1939 2,846,741 Whitacre Aug. 12, 1958 2,997,758 Tiberg et al. Aug. 29, 1961 3,012,296 Wiesner Dec. 12, 1961 

1. THE COMBINATION OF AN INGOT MOLD HAVING LIFTING LUGS THEREON AND A HOT TOP FOR THE INGOT MOLD, THE HOT TOP INCLUDING A HOLLOW SAND CORE OF A SHAPE TO FIT ON THE TOP OF AN INGOT MOLD, SAID SAND CORE BEING OF HOLLOW SHAPE IN PLAN VIEW AND HAVING A WALL THICKNESS OF ABOUT SEVERA INCHES, A REINFORCING WALL AROUND THE SAME CORE COMPRISING STRONG KRAFT PAPER OF A THICKNESS OF BETWEEN ABOUT 3/16 INCH AND ABOUT 1/2 INCH, THE REINFORCING WALL BEING ADHESIVELY SECURED TO THE SAND CORE, A PLURALITY OF TIE MEANS SECURED TO THE REINFORCING WALL AND ENGAGING THE LIFTING LUGS OF THE INGOT MOLD FOR HOLDING THE HOT TOP ON THE TOP OF THE INGOT MOLD, SAID TIE MEANS BGEING SECURED BETWEEN CONVOLUTIONS OF THE REINFORCING WALL AND NOT EXTENDING INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SAND CORE, AND PLASTIC CEMENT MEANS SEALING THE ENGAGEMENT OF THE HOT TOP WITH THE INGOT MOLD. 